The
annual BrandZ study of the world's top 100 brands, which is produced by agency
Millward Brown, has declared Apple as the world's most
valuable brand.

Apple,
which was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, is a
consumer electronics and computer software corporation that has designed and
marketed several new popular products in recent years. For instance, the iPod lineup has
offered a variety of music players to the market, and the Mac series has
made personal computers useful
for the creative community as well as those looking for a new computing
experience.

This
portfolio of consumer products along with an increasing presence in both
corporate and home environments has thrust Apple to the number one position in
the world's top 100 brands. In fact, Apple is now worth $153 billion.

"Apple
is breaking the rules in terms of its pricing model," said Peter Walshe.
"It's doing what luxury brands do, where the higher price the brand is,
the more it seems to underpin and reinforce the desire. Obviously, it has to be
allied to great products and great experience, and Apple has nurtured
that."

In the
top 10 of the list, Apple beat huge technology and telecoms companies as well
as other popular corporations. The top 10 of the list of 100 is as follows,
from number one to number 10: Apple, Google, IBM, McDonald's, Microsoft, Coca
Cola, AT&T, Marlboro, China
Mobile, and General Electric.

Other
brands scattered around the top 100 were Visa at number 20, which is
valued at $28.5 billion, and Facebook at number 35, which is valued at 19.1
billion. Also, Toyota is the first automaker on the list at number 27.

With all
100 companies combined, the total value of the top 100 brands is $2.4 trillion,
which rose by 17 percent as the global economy "shifted to growth."
The top 100 brands list employs the opinions of over 2 million consumers
worldwide.

“We do believe we have a moral responsibility to keep porn off the iPhone.” -- Steve Jobs